Thoughts, links, inside information and program previews from the host of Chicagoland's premier local-access political talk show.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Mitt Romney's Chicago Rally, Presser and Funder

Updated on Friday, June 15 at 2:30 pm with video links, new reporting and new commentary: ***********************************************************Video reports from Chicago's ace political TV journalists Flannery and Shaw of yesterday's Mitt Romney Loop rally, funder and presser are here and here.

Something that Governor Romney spoke about at the Rally-- the difference between the private sector and the government sector, with respect to their ability to adapt to and incorportate new technology-- pretty much was not reported in the mainstream media's coverage. This may be because the mainstream media simply didn't get it or they didn't think it was newsworthy.

Romney used the example of the 1962 Nash Rambler that his kids gave him recently for his 60th birthday, and the differences between that car and current era cars. Considering the relative performance of domestic and foreign auto producers in the last half century, it may not be the best choice of products to illustrate his point and his hope for America's future.

One proposition that Romney might put forward is that there are probably few private entities currently providing "1962 quality level," services or products, but there are, perhaps, a few government agencies doing that. That presumably is what Romney is trying to change. He might want to say it.

In any case, Romney will probably continue to plug away at that issue, as it is one important potentially positive difference between his background and that of his current top tier competitors: Senator McCain and Mayor Giuliani.

A partial transcipt of the presser is included directly, below.**************************************************** Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney: …My position on Life is clear. I wrote an op-ed piece on that a couple of years ago. I am proud of the fact that I am Pro-Life and I am not going to apologize to anybody for becoming Pro-Life.

Rick Pearson [Chicago Tribune]: Well, what about the debate about the You-tube ad?

Former Governor Mitt Romney: That was the You-Tube piece that they put up?

Rick Pearson: Yes

Mitt Romney: It was the press conference at which I described why I was vetoing cloning legislation because it didn’t respect the sanctity of life.So, look at the rest of the press conference and you’ll see that my opponents have not only stooped to making an attack of this nature but not being honest enough to put the full press conference there which shows that the reason I was speaking to the media was to describe why I was not in favor of redefining life as the beginning of implementation rather than at conception and-- Let me complete my answer—also indicating why I opposed cloning and embryo farming because they do not respect the sanctity of life.

Mike Flannery [CBS-2 News]: What changed your mind on abortion?

Mitt Romney: I have answered this a couple times, but I am always happy to respond to it. You know for some time the issue of life and abortion was an issue of a philosophical nature. When I became Governor [in 2002 in Massachusetts] and actually had the responsibility for making the decision relating to Life, I came down on the side of Life. The first issue I faced in that regard was with regards to cloning and stem, excuse me, embryo farming. And, in that case, embryo cloning and farming of embryos is something, which I opposed. I came down on the side of Life. And, I wrote an op Ed piece that said, in fact, I am opposed to abortion. And, I made that very clear.

Jeff Berkowitz [Public Affairs]: Governor, you ran for the U. S. Senate in 1994, and you said this conversion to social conservatism started as Governor [in 2004].

Mitt Romney: No, you’re not stating that right.

Jeff Berkowitz: No, but the cloning issue with regard to abortion [came up when you were Governor]. Are there other things that you could refer back to-- earlier than your tenure as Governor-- where you were a social conservative, prior to that cloning-abortion issue?

Mitt Romney: Perhaps the best thing you could see would be to look at my brochure that I had as I was running for Senate [in 1994] and you could see all of the positions that I had and you could characterize them as you might. ******************************************************** Mitt Romney, Republican Presidential Candidate and former Governor of Massachusetts, answering questions at a six minute presser that followed a ten minute presentation to about a hundred grasssoots supporters at the Hilton in the Chicago Loop on Thursday, June 14. ************************************************* Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com*************************************************************